1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention generally relates to targets for use in competitive shooting tournaments, and more particularly, to a combination target wherein primary and secondary targets thereof are reliably presented to a shooter in sequence and to a signalling arrangement wherein the signalling of a score is only provided after a target has been committed to fall, by gravity, to a scoring position
2. Background
In competitive shooting tournaments, each individual participant or team scores points by knocking down targets in a wide variety of shooting events which each test different skills of the marksman FIG. 1 illustrates a typical shooting event in which a shooter 11 shoots at, for example, single targets 13 of uniform size positioned at different distances from the firing line. Shooter 11 is awarded points based on the number of targets struck and knocked down, typically in a given time period. The total points awarded for all events of the tournament determines the standing of each participant or team.
In order to test the different skills of the competitors in the tournament, it is common to vary the type and size of the targets as well as their configuration. For example, a target used may comprise a single target, as shown in FIG. 1, wherein a score is credited when it is knocked down to the scoring position. Alternatively, the target can comprise a combination target including at least primary and secondary targets which both must be struck, often in sequence, before a score is credited to a shooter.
With the combination target, a problem arises if the secondary target is accidently knocked down before the primary target has been struck, particularly when a signalling arrangement for indicating the crediting of a score is triggered by the falling of the secondary target. In such an case, the shooter may be credited with a hit even though the primary target has not been struck or alternatively, the shooter is disqualified from using the combination target to score points.
A further deficiency of known targets is that when the signalling arrangement is triggered by the falling of the target, a grazing strike which moves the target, but does not cause the target to fall to the scoring position, can trigger the signalling arrangement thereby indicating a hit which does not qualify as a score.